Author: Leslye Walton
Title: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
Publication Info: Somerville, MA : Candlewick Press, 2014.
Summary/Review:
This is a story about a girl born with wings. The novel details three generations of her family’s life filled with heartbreak, tragedy, and little touches of magical realism on every page. It’s basically what would happen if Laura Esquivel or Isabel Allende were transported to the Pacific Northwest. While the quirkiness can get overbearing at times, this is an engaging story with a lyric beauty. And while the climax is horrific, the finale is optimistic.
Recommended books: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Rating: ****
Panorama of the Mountains 